Net
food-importing developing countries

The
present rules and commitments on agriculture are often
called the Uruguay Round reform programme
 they were negotiated in the Uruguay Round and they
include reductions in subsidies and protection as well as
other disciplines on the trade.

The
ministerial decision:The
Ministerial Decision on Measures concerning the Possible
Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on
Least-Developed and Net Food-Importing Developing
Countries

This
Decision was adopted as part of the outcome of the
Uruguay Round negotiations on agriculture. The Decision
recognises that while the progressive implementation of
the results of the Uruguay Round as a whole will generate
increasing opportunities for trade expansion and economic
growth to the benefit of all Members, during the reform
programme least-developed and net food-importing
developing countries may experience negative effects in
terms of the availability of adequate supplies of basic
foodstuffs from external sources on reasonable terms and
conditions, including short-term difficulties in
financing normal levels of commercial imports of basic
foodstuffs.

Ministers
agreed to a number of mechanisms to ensure that the
implementation of the results of the Uruguay Round does
not adversely affect the availability of food aid at a
level which is sufficient to continue to provide
assistance in meeting the food needs of developing
countries. These mechanisms include a review of the level
of food aid established periodically by the Committee on
Food Aid under the Food Aid Convention and the initiation
of negotiations to establish a level of food aid
commitments sufficient to meet the legitimate needs of
developing countries during the reform programme; the
adoption of guidelines to ensure that an increasing
proportion of basic foodstuffs is provided in fully grant
form; and agreement by the developed country Members to
give full consideration in the context of their aid
programmes to requests for the provision of technical and
financial assistance to least-developed and net
food-importing developing countries to improve their
agricultural productivity and infrastructure.

Ministers
also agreed to ensure that any agreement relating to
agricultural export credits makes appropriate provision
for differential treatment in favour of least-developed
and net food-importing developing countries. The Decision
recognizes that in case of short-term difficulties in
financing normal levels of commercial imports, net
food-importing developing countries may be eligible to
draw on the resources of international financial
institutions under existing facilities, or such
facilities as may be established, in the context of
adjustment programmes, in order to address such financing
difficulties.

The Decision’s follow-up is monitored by the Committee on Agriculture and it is subject to regular review by the Ministerial Conference. As part of a series of steps to make the Decision operational, the Committee established a WTO list of least-developed and net food-importing countries since the Decision describes but does not list the countries that are to be covered by the Decision. The list of net food-importing developing countries can be found here.